DARPA looking for an encrypted communications app

The government might dislike the idea of you using a completely encrypted messaging app, because terrorists could be using them as well. But – it would very much like to have such an app just for itself.

Only it needs to be extra special. It needs to be the perfect app – undecryptable by anyone besides who the message was intended for, decentralised so that the servers could not be spied on, and with messages that can self-destruct.

That is, if I understood the notice posted on the Department of Defense’s DARPA component website:

“The DoD requires a secure messaging system that can provide repudiation or deniability, perfect forward and backward secrecy, time to live/self delete for messages, one time eyes only messages, a decentralized infrastructure to be resilient to cyber-attacks, and ease of use for individuals in less than ideal situations”.

According to the notice, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is splitting the app development into three phases. The first phase is the experimental one, where decentralised models will be created, and encryption protocols and schemes will be tested.

Phase two will see a working prototype, following the development and various testing. Finally, the third phase will “focus on commercialization and full-scale implementation of the platform”.

“This entails converting the alpha of the end user application into a beta application and increasing user testing and platform monitoring and industrializing the back-end platform in terms of decentralized ledger architecture and blockchain implementation.”